Sandcastle
by Artemis Obscure
Summary: A girl is sent out to Ingary to seek her fortune,only to find herself thrown into adventures with Morgan's family and new Witch who seems to want revenge on someone who ate her heart....
1. Default Chapter

DISCLAIMER: I in no way own Howl's Moving Castle. However, the characters in this chapter belongs to me.  
  
A/N: I always wanted to do a HMC fic, and this is my first one. This happens quite a few years after 'Castle in the Air'.  
  
Chapter one: In which a burial is conducted, and Kate is sent off to seek her fortune  
  
It was the perfect example of a perfect day. The sky was as blue as a cornflower, with little fluffy white clouds floating serenely across. The sun, although shining brightly, was not at all hot. A soft wind was blowing, and the pretty pink and white periwinkle flowers were nodding and swaying gracefully in time with the wind. Songbirds trilled in trees and filled the countryside with beautiful melodies.  
  
However, in Kate Baker's mind, today was the worst sort of day to bury someone. It was a rule, however, when people chose to die, the weather would be inconveniently horrible. Dark clouds would billow ominously, strong wind blow, and this would be followed by heavy torrents of rain that made people slip and get mud all over their heavy black clothes and boots.  
  
But then again, no one chose to die during springtime. Everyone knew that the proper time to die suddenly would be in autumn or winter. Kate Baker's parents chose to die in the middle spring, when the flowers were in full bloom, and the weather was fine. Their manner of death was rather shocking as the mayor said. Mr. and Mrs. Baker died as a result of a pack wolves happened to attack them while they were out collecting mushrooms in the late evening. The news shocked everyone in the very respectable town of Periwinkle Hood, which was charmingly located smack in the middle of Strangia.  
  
As the funeral procession trudged reluctantly along, Kate stole a glance at her younger sisters, Sally, and Elsie. The two of them were dabbing tiny white pocket-handkerchiefs at their eyes from time to time. Ahead of them, were their Uncle Jonas and Aunt Helga, who were dabbing at their eyes as well, but it was noticeable that they were walking with a slight spring in their step. Kate allowed a brief frown to flicker across her forehead, but she banished it quickly. Kate thought of herself as a rather sensible person, and sensible people do not frown at their only relations in the world. She just lowered her head, and trudged on.  
  
After the burial service was read and conducted, the three girls went home with their aunt and uncle. Mr. and Mrs. Baker used to keep the only bakery in the whole of Periwinkle Hood. Upstairs, was the only home that they had known all their lives. To Kate's mind, it felt strange to go into the parlor with her see her aunt and uncle seated in the best chair and drinking tea from tiny china teacups.  
  
"The bakery officially belongs to us now," Aunt Helga cackled. She could not speak properly, only just cackle. "The mayor had signed some papers, and the house, the bakery and all it's possessions belong to us." she let out a satisfied hiss and sipped her tea.  
  
"But most unfortunately, the Mayor said that we had to keep the three of you," Uncle Jonas said glaring meaningfully at the three girls. "We expect the three of you to be grateful and to earn your keep."  
  
Elsie who was red headed and hot tempered glared right back at her uncle, and was about to say something, when Kate dug her elbow firmly into her ribs. It was not sensible to anger the people whom were going to be looking after you from now on. She kept her face carefully blank, and listened to what they had to say next.  
  
"We've decided what to do with the lot of you," Aunt Helga cackled again. "Since your Uncle Jonas and I are new to this whole bakery business, we'll take in you in as helpers in the bakery shop. You will have to make the bread and cakes from now on, and lend a hand with the clearing up."  
  
"How very convenient," Elsie snorted. "We do the work and you get the money. It all works out very nicely for you doesn't it?"  
  
"Elsie," Kate began warningly. Elsie took no notice of her eldest sister, and glared back at Uncle Jonas and Aunt Helga, as if she was challenging them to throw her out on the streets." Kate just stared helplessly at her strong minded sister, while Sally twisted nervously at her black gloves. They were well aware of their aunt and uncle's temper, and it would not do any good to get on their wrong side.  
  
With what seemed like a miraculous effort, the two elder people managed to control themselves. "Sally and Elsie will be helping us out in the shop," Uncle Jonas finally said.  
  
Kate felt her eyes widening involuntarily. "How about Kate?" Sally and Elsie demanded swiftly. "Why won't she be helping in the shop as well?"  
  
"How old are you Kate?" Aunt Helga asked, ignoring the other two sisters. Kate hesitated a little before she answered.  
  
"I'll be eighteen in two days time."  
  
"Good," her uncle said decidedly. "Eighteen is the right age for a girl to go off and seek her fortune." He exchanged a crafty glance with his wife. "We've arranged for you to go to Ingary to do just that." Uncle Jonas then leaned back and looked very pleased with himself as the three girls stared at him in a kind of wordless horror. "My old friend Morton Maxwell will be heading of to Ingary next week in a travelling pack. He's off there to sell his tonics you know. He said he needed an assistant, and you were the first person I thought off. After all, I did hear your late parents, bless their souls, mention that you always wanted to see the world. Also because I know that chemistry was your favorite subject at school." he raised his eyebrows suggestively. "So be off to pack, you'll go next week."  
  
"You can't do that," Elsie raged. "I know that's your way of just getting rid of Kate because you know she can't cook as we can!" It was a rather known and accepted fact that Kate's cooking was a sort of natural disaster, while the other two Baker sisters could make food fit for the King of Strangia.  
  
Kate couldn't say anything, but just gape stupidly. Sally impulsively grabbed her hands. "It's just your excuse to get rid of her," she yelled as well. "All you're interested in is how much you'll make with keeping us, and just because you think Kate's not good at cooking, you decide to get rid of her so you won't have another mouth to feed."  
  
"It's not right to separate us!" Elsie screamed back, her temper now out in full force. "You big fat-," At this point, she called her uncle something that made his fleshy face go a unbecoming shade of beet root purple.  
  
"Silence!" Uncle Jonas thundered, and Aunt Helga cackled shrilly. "We've already decided, so there's no point arguing about it. All three of you leave the room now."  
  
"We won't leave until you tell us Kate's staying you unfeeling-" this time, it was Sally who said that.  
  
"No more arguing before I turn the lot of you onto the street," Uncle Jonas roared. "Leave immediately, all of you!"  
  
Kate stood up numbly and went out, leaving her sisters to bawl at her aunt and uncle. No one actually noticed that she had left the room.  
  
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"I can't believe you're doing what that fool told you to do," Elsie raved. "We did all we could to back you up, and you stupidly do what that-(she called Uncle Jonas something that made Kate frown hard) told you to do!" The time for Kate to leave came quickly.  
  
"Elsie's right," Sally agreed tearfully. "Why are you actually listening to him? you could have backed us up you know. Do you really want to leave us?" her grayish eyes filled with tears.  
  
"I don't know," Kate said, as she stuffed a few things into a pouch. She didn't want to admit to her sisters she felt resigned to do as her uncle said. "After all, Uncle Jonas is right, I've always wanted to see the world. I'll think of it as just going globetrotting." That was said rather cheerfully. Her two sisters just stared at her exasperatedly.  
  
"You're just letting them bully you," Sally protested. "Don't tell me you really want to go."  
  
"I don't, but things would work out better like that, won't it?" Kate asked sensibly.  
  
"Things would work out. For those two ogres that is," Elsie snorted.  
  
Kate sighed. "don't worry, I'll send you a letter from time to time, just to see how you're doing." A clatter of hooves could be heard downstairs. A few minutes later, Aunt Helga cackled loudly for Kate.  
  
All of a sudden, Sally and Elsie looked scared. "He's here already," Sally said in a scared whisper. "You've got to go."  
  
Kate swallowed the lump in her throat. "Why don't you come down and see me off," she said, her voice trembling a little, but she managed to pretend nothing was wrong by just grabbing her pouch and swinging it over her shoulder lightly.  
  
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Mr. Morton Maxwell was a round person with quite a belly sticking out from under his waistcoat. He had balding hair, and his mustache somehow reminded Kate of the horns of a Tsapfan water buffalo, whose picture she had seen while reading a book. He had a huge travelling wagon with an old looking brown horse harnessed to it. His shifty eyes looked at the three girls as they came out into the street.  
  
"My, my, what a fine lot of lovely ladies," he said in a way that made Kate think he was sly. It was probably to do with the fact that Mr. Morton Maxwell had a slippery sounding voice. "Which one is Kate? Ah, I thought I was you," he said as Kate stepped out. "You're the prettiest one amongst your lovely sisters." It was true people in Periwinkle Hood said that Kate, with her chestnut hair and eyes was the most good looking one among the three Baker sisters. That was because her good looks was probably to make up for the lack of Kate's non-existent cooking skills, the spinsters and housewives whispered amongst themselves.  
  
Kate gave a small smile at that remark, thought she was feeling very uncomfortable at his praise. Morton Maxwell's slippery voice was making him sound slyly disagreeable. Sally and Elsie just folded her arms and glared daggers at him as he made some small talk with Uncle Jonas and Aunt Helga and has he loaded Kate's things into the wagon.  
  
"Go inside the wagon first and make yourself comfortable, Morton Maxwell said with a wave of his hand. Quite unknown to him or to Uncle Jonas, Kate saw Morton Maxwell slip a small bag that jingled into Uncle Jonas's hand. Kate couldn't believe her eyes. She was actually being sold off!  
  
Sally had also noticed the same thing, because when Morton Maxwell had shut up the wagon with Kate inside and flicked the horse to move, she could hear Sally yelling at her uncle. This was soon joined by Elsie screaming as well. However, Kate couldn't hear what they were saying, because the wagon was getting further and further away.  
  
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well, that's chapter one. So what did you think? Good? Lousy? Drop me an review and let me know. 


	2. In which Kate goes to Ingary and makes a...

DISCLAIMER: I don't own any of the highly recognizable characters. The rest are all a product of my overactive imagination.  
  
A/n: I actually wrote chapter one during physics (is it just me, or does time seem to come to a standstill during physics?) class out of pure boredom. I had some vague ideas of what was going to happen next, but I still have no plot. If you have any ideas, on what should happen in the story please let me know. I'm actually letting my imagination run away while typing the story, so anything can happen, and all suggestions are welcomed.  
  
ChocolateEclair: Glad you liked chapter 1. I like "Between Hope and Death" a lot. Hope you update soon. I can't wait to hear more about Wyn, Morgan and Rhys.  
  
Calcifersgrl: Surprisingly, I used to play this computer game called "Gizmos and Gadgets" when I was younger, and the villain's name was a mad scientist called Morty Maxwell! I had no idea until you mentioned it. But I don't think Morty is like Morton Maxwell, because Morton is a sly sort of person, where else Morty's just crazy.  
  
Thanks for your reviews, it really made my day!  
  
Chapter two: In which Kate goes to Ingary and makes a new friend.  
  
The journey to Ingary was long, hot, and horribly bumpy. It didn't help that Kate was shut up in a covered wagon surrounded by hundreds of colored bottles rattling in their shelves. Kate sat on a bunk bed attached to the side of the wagon and hung on for dear life in fear of being jolted off. She couldn't believe she was actually sold off to be an assistant of a travelling, tonic selling businessman. She thought of Sally and Elsie. Knowing their tempers, she knew they were probably throwing a huge rage at their uncle and aunt. Kate just hoped that they wouldn't do anything stupid like poison her aunt and uncle and then come looking for her.  
  
Kate soon began to loose track of the time she spent, clinging on to the side of the bed. She began to get restless and wanted to look around the wagon. It was a very narrow wagon, with two bunk beds on top of each other. The shelves stretched from the top of the wagon till the floor, and all sorts of colorful bottles were lined up in there. It took some time for Kate to get used to the bumpy motion of the wagon to actually get up and explore. First, she went and picked a corked bottle randomly off a shelf. The faded label read flea powder. She put it back on the shelf and took up a brown bottle. This said "Hair Tonic" and it had a funny stale smell.  
  
For no reason, the wagon jerked to a stop, and she heard Morton Maxwell's voice shouting abuse at the horse. Then the door slid open, and Morton stuck his plump face in.  
  
"We're here. Come step outside and have your first look at Ingary. Gingerly, Kate took a wobbly step out of the wagon. She could smell a salty, fresh smell that revived her considerably. Kate found herself on a narrow cobblestone road with funny old looking houses lined up at both sides. The loud squawks of the big white birds circling in the brilliant blue sky was not like anything she had seen before.  
  
"So what do you think of Ingary?" Morton asked Kate, as she was drinking everything in.  
  
"It's not very different from Strangia," Kate said. "But we don't have that sort of birds back home," she pointed to the squalling birds.  
  
"Oh those are called seagulls. You usually find them near the sea," he said as he grabbed a worn suitcase. Kate wanted to say that she had read all about seagulls in a book, but Morton towed her into an inn. "We're going to start work today," he told her as they entered. " I don't want to waste any time."  
  
Kate wanted to tell him he was being very hasty, but held her tongue. "Your uncle asked me to take you in as an apprentice," he informed her. "I didn't want to at first, but he insisted. Told me you were a fast learner. That I wouldn't regret taking you under my wing."  
  
"Thank you very much then," Kate said uncertainly. They sat down at a table and Morton ordered some mince pie and beer. The food came quickly enough, and to pass the time, he felt the need to tell Kate what she needed to know about the "tonic business."  
  
"You see," he said. "Your task is quite simple really. All you have to do is just sell the bottles of stuff to whoever asks for it and stick labels on the bottles. I'll be in the wagon, mixing the tonics. Isn't it simple."  
  
Kate had a feeling there was more to being an apprentice than just selling bottles and sticking labels on them, but didn't say so. She just sat there quietly listening as she sipped her ginger ale. Morton went on telling her, this time about the adventures he had, just by going around selling his tonic.  
  
"You see, once, I sold my famous teeth whitening tonic to the Sahib of Salak," he said with a mouth full of mince pie. "I had a suspicion he was a nobleman or something, but I had no idea he was of the royal house. The next day he came back to my wagon and praised me. I couldn't believe it myself, there was the Sahib himself, standing there with a mouthful of teeth that glittered like the ivory palace walls of Salak." He displayed a grin that needed a major dose of the said tonic to Kate's opinion.  
  
Somehow, the tone of his voice made Kate think that he was somehow bragging, and noting more. She just gave a polite smile and nibbled on her portion of pie. Morton had already eaten three times more than she had.  
  
"I think we ought to make a move now," he said, wiping his mouth with a cabbage colored handkerchief. "I want to get a good spot to sell my tonics." He summoned the innkeeper, and tossed him a small silver coin. Harnessing the horse, they went around a few roads before Morton managed to find a busy corner. It didn't take too long for him to set up a table and arrange the tonics on it.  
  
"Watch how I do it, and you follow along alright?" he asked. Kate, who was feeling a little out of things just nodded and hoped that she could pick the skill of tonic selling and making fast.  
  
"Come and buy, come and buy!" Morton Maxwell roared out to the busy crowd. "Morton 's famous tonics. Are you losing hair? Try my hair growth tonic. Having problems sleeping at night? Have a go at my Super Strength Sleeping Potions. Troubled by gout and other ailments? Take the All Occasions tonic, for any discomforts you have!"  
  
This went on for quite a while. It was a wonder that Morton didn't get hoarse from all that loud shouting. Quite a crowd had now gathered around the stall and was hustling to get at the miraculous tonics. All Kate could do was to just stand at the side of the table and collect payment.  
  
"Quite a good deal for today, quite a good deal," Morton said as he put more tinted bottles on the table. "Now it's your to mind the stall. I'll be in my wagon, preparing more tonics, eh? All you have to do is just stand outside here and sell it to them alright? Good." With that, he vanished into the wagon and left Kate outside to deal with the throng of customers.  
  
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It was about that time of the day where the sunny skies give way to the coming night when Kate finally managed to sell the last bottle. Morton praised her for the good work and allowed her to go town exploring for a few hours.  
  
"Meet me here at the Spotted Dog Inn at about dinner time. I've booked a table especially for us. Now run along, "I've got something to attend to." He strode off to a dark his fat, bulging pockets jingling as he went. Not quite knowing what to do, Kate wandered of to the seaside.  
  
At that time, the sun was already sending long orange fingers across the darkening sky, but there was still enough light. She spent some time looking at the people bring their little boats in and towing their catch of fish away in wheelbarrows. Kate couldn't help wondering how were Sally and Elsie getting along with Uncle Jonas and Aunt Helga. For a moment, she missed fiercely, and would have done anything to have them close by. She stared at the darkening sky hard; trying to stop the hot, prickly sensation she was feeling in her eyes and pinched her nose hard.  
  
"It looks like its going down to the sea isn't it?" someone beside her asked. Upon turning, Kate found a young man with a long angular face and darkish hair standing next to her, staring at the sinking sun as well.  
  
"It is rather," she said, feeling a little embarrassed to have a stranger seeing her in such uncomfortable moments. However, her embarrassment melted away quickly when he flashed her a white, even smile.  
  
"Sorry, I didn't mean to intrude on you like that. It's just that you looked a little, well, sad."  
  
"Oh," she said, while turning to an uncomfortable shade of red.  
  
"You must be a stranger. I haven't seen you in Porthaven before," he said, after a quick glance at Kate.  
  
"I just arrived here today actually. My name's Kate Baker and I'm from Strangia."  
  
He grinned and extended his hand. "Morgan Jenkins, and pleased to meet you very much."  
  
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I'm not going to bother to check and edit this chapter, so please excuse my mistakes. I'll be leaving for my mum's hometown tomorrow morning, since we're celebrating Chinese New Year there. Is there anyone celebrating Chinese new year as well? if there are, well, happy Chinese New year!!  
  
I know there might be some long boring explanations here at first, but bear with me alright? I felt that I needed to explain a few things before I introduced the rest of the gang.  
  
Anyway, I guess that's it for now. I hope I can update sooner, since I have a short holiday (in conjunction with Chinese new year). tell me the bits that aren't nice, and I'll improve on them. In other words, review!!  
  
Love, Lady Artemis 


	3. In Which Kate Does something RAther Sens...

Disclaimer: don't own any highly recognizable characters, though I wished Morgan and Howl really existed.

  


A/n: Very sorry for the long delay! If it wasn't for the exams and the writer's block, I would have updated earlier. This chapter got rewritten many times, and this is the final draft I was (finally) satisfied with. Thanks to all who reviewed!

  
  


ChocolateEclar: Thanks! I hope Morgan's portrayal meets up to your expectations! Sorry for the LONG delay though! Please update Canine Capers! Please? Pretty please?

  


Calcifersgrl: I don't think Tonic Traders are really wizards. However, people in Ingary do treat them with respect, as long as the potions live up to their expectations (well, that's what I think). Next chapter here! Sorry it took so long.

  


Alright! Now on to chapter 3!

  
  


Chapter 3: In which Kate does something rather senseless

  


She took in the sight of him as she extended her hand. Tall! Were the first words her mind thought. Apart from that, had floppy bluish-black hair and bottle green eyes that glinted as they shook hands. Morgan also had a rather stubborn chin which pointed out he would probably be strong minded. He was dressed respectably, like the son of a prosperous businessman who had just made his way in the world.

  


"So tell me, what are you doing in Porthaven?" he asked quizzically as he tilted his head aside and considered her. "Very sorry, for intruding like that, but you were looking a little lost and lonely. I can tell you're new here too."

  


"I'm from Strangia. Actually, I just arrived in Ingary," she said, a little annoyed to be described as 'a little lost and lonely'. "I'm here as an apprentice of a tonic trader. That's all."

  


"An apprentice of a tonic trader?" he repeated. "You actually came to Porthaven to be an apprentice?"

  


Kate's forehead creased. "The feeling of homesickness came crashing down on her in full force. Morgan noticed the look on her face and realized that he had put his foot in. "Sorry," he said with a charming lopsided grin. "Didn't mean to upset you. You don't have to tell me anything if you don't want too. Can I buy you a drink? You look as if you need one."

  


Kate refused. Instead, the two of them went for a walk along the beach. For no reason, Kate found herself telling her whole story to Morgan, who was a very good listener. He hardly said anything throughout her whole narration, only pausing to ask questions. Although she knew she was dripping her problems on him, Kate was decidedly glad to have met Morgan, although the fishermen along the beach were giving them rather knowing smiles. Kate suspected they had gotten the wrong idea to see the two of them strolling down the beach at this time of the evening. She gave an inward shrug of resignation. People in Periwinkle hood were like that too.

  


"So your uncle actually sold you off as an apprentice?" he let out a low whistle. "You must be worth a lot."

  


"I don't know about that," she said, as she twiddled a stray curl of loose hair distractedly. "Uncle Jonas said that he agreed reluctantly to take me as an apprentice, but I saw him getting a bag of money. It's all a big confusion."

  


"If I were you, I would have screamed and kicked like mad when they loaded me into the carriage," he commented darkly. " I wouldn't let them cart me off like–" he stopped short all of a sudden. Kate glanced at him in surprise. He was eying a mound of sand piled up. Oddly shaped seashells were littered around. Automatically, she reached down to pick a shell up.

  


"Don't do that," Morgan said sharply just before her fingers touched a shell. Kate blinked as she felt some hot air curling around her face. Looking up at the mound, she saw the air around it turn slightly wavy, the way air did when it was hot. She blinked again and everything was suddenly back to normal. Kate felt surprisingly light headed and floaty.

  


"I think we'd better get back to town, it's getting late," he said. Morgan tilted his head and looked at her for agreement. All of a sudden, something seemed to be pulling at her insides and everything jolted back to ordinary. The dizzy feeling vanished as well. It was then when she suddenly realized that she had to meet Morton Maxwell. The sun had completely set now, and in it's place were winking stars.

  


"I have to be at the Spotted Dog inn," she said. "And I have no idea where it is."

  


He frowned. "Only the bad ones go there," he said. "That's no place for a young girl like you. Not at night"

  


Kate drew herself up. "I'm going to be eighteen, I'm not that young anymore, you don't have to worry about me (Morgan snorted at this). But anyway, I have to go there, or else Morton will be worried about me." 

  


Morgan frowned. "Morton? As in Morton Maxwell? You're his apprentice?" Kate nodded, puzzled. "Morton Maxwell is the biggest cheat around here!" Morgan exclaimed. "I can't believe that he's here in Porthaven, after the warning we gave him the last time!"

  


"Wait a minute, what's going on?" Kate asked. "What do you mean by 'the biggest cheat'?"

  


Morgan sighed frustratedly, and pushed his hair out of this eyes. "The potions and tonics he sells, they're all duds! They don't work! All there is to them is just colored water and a pinch of shortening! He caused quite a riot in Market Chipping (that's about seven leagues from here," he added, for Kate's benefit) when the people found out that his potions don't work as well as he claims them to be! And you! Of all people! His apprentice!"

  


"Morton's a fake?" she exclaimed. That was something she wasn't expecting. She had come as an apprentice to a fake! That was somewhat of a rude shock to her. 

  


"Yes. If I were you, I'd take off. He's trouble," Morgan advised.

  


"Maybe it's all a mistake," Kate said, determined to be fair minded. "There must be an explanation to this."

  


Morgan snorted again. That made Kate feel that there wasn't much hope of Morton not being a fake. So what was she to do then? Continue being his apprentice, and help him swindle people or to bound up and confront him? There must be an explanation to all this. _So what if Morgan's right? What if Morton is a fake? _She wondered. The best way to find out is to ask Morton, the irritating voice at the back of her head nagged.

  


"Where is that inn?" she asked as she turned to Morgan.

  


Morgan gave a put on sigh and put his hands into his pockets. "The Spotted Dog Inn is this way," he said. "But don't say I didn't tell you that you're making serious mistake," he mumbled under his breath.

  


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Peering cautiously from the door, it wasn't too hard to spot Morton's ample figure. He was sitting in an ill-lit corner, and drinking beer with great hasty gulps. It was obvious that he was waiting for someone to arrive, but there was an air of secrecy about him. Kate knew that he was waiting for her, and was getting tired of waiting. She was about to go forward towards him, when Morgan took hold of her arm.

  


"Don't tell me you're just going in like that?" he demanded. Kate wished that she hadn't allowed him to accompany her into the inn. Morgan had a bossy streak, and it was showing itself now. "Then what do you suggest I do?" she asked with what seemed like exasperation.

  


He gave another one of his lopsided grins. "Spy on him," he suggested. He threw his hands towards Morton's direction. "There. Now he won't be able to hear or see us." with that, Kate found herself being led to the table closes to Morton's table. Once more, Kate felt glad that Morgan was around. Shaggy, unkempt heads turned towards the slim girl who was making her way across the room. If it wasn't Morgan's hold on her arm, she was sure that one of the beer drinking, card playing, wolf whistling roughnecks would try to accost her.

  


"What are you all looking at," Morgan mumbled. "Look away and mind your own beeswax." this was followed by another quick hand movements. Automatically, the heads turned back down to whatever they were doing. Kate felt surprised. She had no idea that Morgan was a wizard, and asked him about it.

  


Another lopsided grin followed. "My father's actually the local sorcerer around these parts," he confessed. "But what they don't know that the Sorcerer Jenkins is also known as the Wizard Howl, one of the king's royal wizards." 

  


Her mouth dropped. "Then you're the son of a Royal Wizard?" she exclaimed.

  


Morgan's spell held fast. None of the heads turned their way although she had exclaimed that in a rather loud voice. He just laughed at that. "Nothing much to boast about. I'm just an apprentice, like you," his smile quickly snapped out, and his head jerked up towards the Morton's table. "Someone's joining him," he said staring at the table ahead.

  


He was right. A mysterious cloaked and hooded figure came, striding up purposefully towards Morton. It was evident that he was expecting the stranger, and a look that was crossed between nervousness and considerable relief crossed his fat face.

  


"It's about time you came," he said in a way of greeting. "I've been waiting here for ages."

  


The stranger ignored him, and just sat down. "Of all places, you had to choose this hole to meet. Where's your apprentice? You said she'd be here," a low sonorous female voice said.

  


Kate felt herself catch her breath. Who was that stranger, and why was she being asked for?

  


A jolt of worry flickered across Morton's face. It was quickly replaced with a vague, genial look. "Ah-I think the girl's somewhere out there. I mean, she had a hard day, it's understandable that she would take sometime off for herself. You know, to see the sights of Porthaven–" he was cut of by a sharp wave.

  


"Give me no excuses Morton. I saw her earlier, at the beach. She had a companion with her." the stranger stared pointedly at Morton. "Do you know anything about this?"

  


There was a strange pounding in Kate's chest. So she was being watched now. But why? And who was this cloaked personage? She seemed to have uneasy effect on Morton.

  


"A companion? I know nothing about it, Lavvie. You saw her just now, at the beach? That's ridiculous, the girl doesn't know a soul here. I think she's looking for the place as we speak. It just crossed my mind that I forgot to give her the directions to the 'Dog just now–"

  


"Fool that you are!" the lady spat back. "I warn you Morton Maxwell, you told me that you would bring the girl to me less than a fortnight ago. You so confidently _assured _me that everything was going accordingly to your plan. Answer me now, do you have the girl or not?"

  


"I had her just now, she was just there, helping with the tonics. All I did was just to give her a short break, and all I've been doing is just sitting here, taking a few pints, but I swear, I had her with me," the plump sham tonic trader blustered.

  


"For your own sake, I hope you have her," she responded with enough iciness that made Kate's blood freeze in her veins. "Let this not be a ruse to part with my money, Morton Maxwell. That is all I can say to you. I've wasted enough time here," she rose, gathering her cloak with her. "Let me just remind you one more time, let this not be another of your lowly deceptions. You know what the penalty is if I catch you puling a stunt on me." With that, she stalked out of the inn, taking the icy draft with her.

  


Morton swore, and banged his beer glass on the table. "Damnation! I will get that girl for her, even if it's the last thing I do. I'm not just going to let ten bags of gold just slip through my fingers like that!"

  


That was enough for Kate. She pushed the chair back, and bolted out of the room, with Morgan close behind her. She took off down unfamiliar streets, although she could hear Morgan yelling at her not to be a silly cow to just run off like that. Kate just ran, and ran, not knowing where she was going. It was quite a while later when she realized that she had done something very senseless. There she was, lost, with no money, no lodgings and food, in a strange country. To top it off, there was a mysterious woman who wanted to buy her from Morton Maxwell (who happened to be a fraud tonic trader), and she had outran the only friend she knew. And to make things worse, it was already dark.

  


"How could I be so stupid!" she moaned to herself.

  


There hadn't been much choice but to stay where she was before she got herself getting hopelessly lost in Porthaven. Sitting down unhappily on a wine barrel behind a wine maker's shop, she settled for a long uncomfortable night....

  


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She was rudely awoken by someone who was shaking her hard. For a moment, she thought that the strange woman had caught up with her, and lashed out.

  


"Won't you stop it," an irritated voice told her. "If you weren't looking so uncomfortable on that wine barrel, I would have left you there to sleep all day!"

  


It was Morgan, and a very exasperated Morgan it was. He had started reproof her immediately for last night's conduct.

  


"That was something plain stupid you did! Didn't you realize that you've gotten yourself lost in the process of your supposedly heroic plan to run away? I had to cast at least three finding spells before I found you here? What do you think would have happened to you, if I hadn't found you? Offer yourself to feed chickens to earn a living? That is before that strange witch descended upon you like gnats and devoured you?"

  


"I'm sorry then," she said sulkily. Morgan had no right to just bound up and nag her like that. She wasn't a small child anymore, and he had no right to act as if he was her father or something. His bossy streak was coming out again well and good. Besides, Kate was never really at her best in the morning. But she was in debt to Morgan for finding her, and for acting like a good companion last night, so she managed to stop herself from saying something rude. However, she couldn't stop herself from asking, "So why are you looking for me if I cause you so much trouble?"

  


He clicked his tongue, and stared at the sky. "I was worried that you'd taken a wrong step, and fallen into the sea or something, for not knowing where you went."

  


"That's very kind of you," she responded somewhat snappishly. "So what do you think I should do now? Go offer myself to feed chickens and ducks?"

  


"I was thinking along the lines of taking you to get help," he said. Kate remembered that his father was the Royal Wizard. She gave a resigned sigh. "By all means."

  


~end of chapter 3~

  


Next chapter: In which Kate meets a fire demon, the rest of Morgan's big family and a Talking donkey.

  
  


Review please! [or I'll set the mysterious witch on you *just joking!*]


	4. In which Kate meets a fire demon, Morgan...

Disclaimer: not mine...not mine....Howl and Morgan are not mine.... 

  


A/n: Yes, another chapter done! This one includes a lot of description and long winded conversations, so bear with me, okay? Before I forget, I want to say a BIG thank you to ChocolateEclar for teaching me (some time ago) how to make the words come out in bold and italics. This chapter is for you!!

  


Caudex: Request granted! There's a Howl and Sophie bit in here especially for you! Thanks for that really encouraging review!

  


ChocolateEclar: Glad to hear you like Morgan! This chapter is dedicated to you!

  


Black Jaguar12: updated! Hope you like it!

  


BlackPanther901: Thank you! New chapter here!

  


Calcifersgrl: I assure you, Kate won't turn out to be a super powerful mega witch or something! (I feel that's way too predictable). Who is the donkey? Read and find out!

  
  


Chapter 4: In which Kate meets a fire demon, the rest of Morgan's big family and a Talking donkey.

  
  


If it wasn't for the self assured way Morgan turned the knob of the old, shack, Kate would have thought that he had gotten the wrong house. There was no way a Royal Wizard lived in such a old, almost crumbling place. To her surprise, the shack had a stone floor, a stairway that lead upstairs and a queer, crackling blue fire blazing in the grate. In fact, it was rather like a small, cramped castle.

  


As they came in, the blue fire blazed up suddenly. "Where have you been?" it demanded. "You leave at the crack of dawn on the account of 'urgent business' and..." the fire trailed off as it saw Kate, who jumped back a few steps. That was one bit of witchcraft she was not prepared for. The fire leaned out of the grate and sneered at her. "Good job Morgan, where did you pick her up from?" Kate looked at the flame. It had a thin blue face, and a nose that stuck out like a poker. It's bushy eyebrows of flame bristled and orange eyes narrowed, as it leaned out of the grate a little more. "Chip off the old block. You're getting as bad as your father nowadays," it said, laughing unpleasantly, and exhibiting sharp pointed blue teeth as it did. 

  


"Shut up you old fraud," a voice behind Kate said. "Morgan's nothing like me."

  


The voice came from a palomino donkey that had just trotted into the castle with a self-righteous look on it's donkey face. Kate gasped and took a step away from the donkey. That was another thing she was not prepared for. To her horror, the donkey stopped in front of her and scrutinized Kate, who promptly stepped back warily. She had never seen a talking donkey before.

  


"We're back!" a loud voice called out. This was followed by two clicks at the doorknob, and a middle aged women with ginger hair and three small children (in which two of them looked like miniature versions of Morgan and one fiercely ginger haired) came trooping in, lugging baskets of food. "Wait till I get my hands on Shelby," she said somewhat threateningly. "I needed her to help me look after these three and she just slithers out of it. I swear, Howl, that girl's becoming more and more like you– " she broke of as they noticed Kate. "Who is this, Morgan? Is she a friend of yours?"

  


"I don't slither out," a voice said. A young girl in her late teens stepped out of a broom closet. She looked like the ginger haired woman. "I was trying for a second sight spell and was close to wrapping it up until you called. She stopped and inspected Kate. "Is this Morgan's girlfriend?" she asked. "If it is, I'm forced to admit he actually has good taste.

  


"She is not my girlfriend!" Morgan seethed back.

  


There was a moment of general pandemonium, as Morgan tried to explain who Kate was, and ended up quarreling with Shelby. Morgan's mother was reprimanding the three small toddlers who showed a sudden interest in playing around Kate's skirt, and the fiery face in the grate shouting on the top of is voice, "Morgan's picking up Howl's old ways now isn't he?" Kate found herself backing towards the door, and tripped over a three legged stool. She fell down with a crash.

  


Heads swivelled towards her direction, as Kate got up, rather red-faced. "Oh shut up, will you now," the ginger haired woman suddenly shouted, which made Kate start. "The poor child's confused." She leaned towards Kate and smiled comfortingly at her. "I'm Sophie, Morgan's mother." Sophie whipped around towards the donkey and gave it a sharp look. "For heaven's sake, can't you behave decently? Imagine! A donkey in the house! And I just cleaned the floor not too long ago!"

  


"Is that your familiar?" Kate whispered to Morgan as she got up slowly. She knew that witches and wizards had familiars that helped them with the spells and enchantments. "I thought familiars were mostly cats or birds." Morgan let out an series of snorts and finally broke out into gales of unchecked laughter. The donkey turned around to give Kate an agonizingly hurt look (_was facial expressions possible on a donkey?_ she wondered.)

  


"On the contrary," it said. "I'm not a familiar." the donkey reared up, with a strong flare of light, and it turned into a tall, blonde, good looking man, even though he looked as if he was in his early fifties. Kate jumped back with surprise at his transformation. He bowed elaborately. "I'm the Wizard Howl, who happens to be Morgan's father. And contrary to what _you _think, Mrs. Nose, I was in Kingsbury trying to turn one of the royal tax collectors back to his true form. The fool made a crone furious and resulted in him turning into a fine spotted donkey."

  


"What's that got to do with you changing into a donkey?" Sophie demanded back.

  


"Where were you, anyway, Morgan? Calcifer said you had something important to do," he said, ignoring Sophie.

  


"Slithering out again aren't you? Fine. Don't answer that," Sophie grumbled irately. "That cacophonic fire there happens to be our fire demon, Calcifer, (at this point Calcifer just gave Kate a wicked leer)" Sophie turned back to Kate and went on as if nothing had happened. "That is Shelby and the triplets, Owen, Dylan and Gwen (the newest addition to our family). Do tell us who might you be?"

  


Sophie's down to earth demeanor make Kate feel calmer, albeit the fact that she almost seemed to enjoy bickering with her husband. She told everyone, about her coming to Ingary, but ran away from Morton. It didn't take too long for Kate to discover that Morgan had inherited his strong-mindedness from his mother. Every time Morgan tried to add his two cents worth about all that happened, Sophie cast him a stern look, that made him shut up. When she was finally done, everyone were having sympathetic looks on their faces.

  


"That was a rotten thing to happen to anyone," Sophie said, outraged. "Someone ought to lock that Morton Maxwell up! Imagine! After the incident at Market Chipping–"

  


The Wizard Howl laughed. "There goes Sophie and her idealistic plans to banish the deceitful crooks of Ingary." Sophie glared at him pointedly. "At least I'm trying, not like some people who slithers out of the King's duties," she retorted.

  


"Me? Slither out? My dear Sophie, you don't do me justice," Howl said with a wounded expression. Sophie snorted loudly and started hustling the triplets (who were exploring around Kate's skirts once more) away, and telling them to behave themselves. Kate felt awkward as she had never encountered people's parents acting in that fashion.

  


"Don't bother, they're always like that," Morgan whispered to her when he noticed her awkwardness.

  


The door clicked open and a pretty rosy girl with raven hair came in. "Hello everybody!" she called out. "Especially to you," she told Morgan. "I came over earlier, but Calcifer told me that you went out. Where did you go? I thought..." she trailed off when she saw Kate. Kate was sure that the girl was Morgan's Sweetheart, with the way she spoke to him and all that, until Morgan spoke to her.

  


"Er, this is my cousin Meryl Suliman," he said. "Meryl, that's Kate Baker from Strangia."

  


"Kate's Morgan's girlfriend," Shelby had sauntered up and told Meryl confidentially. Kate blushed unhappily once more, and Morgan growled. "She's not my girlfriend! Get that straight can't you!" Shelby retorted with some rude line to Morgan, and the two of them were off like fireworks.

  
  


"Sibling rivalry," Meryl explained to Kate. "They're always at each other like cats and dogs. Just watching them makes me feel grateful for being the only child." She turned to the Wizard Howl. "Uncle Howl, dad just got back from High Norland and wants a word with you, if you don't mind. It's about the new watering spell for the King."

  


"And I was expecting a quiet day. Such are the trials of a great wizard," Howl said dramatically. Sophie snorted loudly and attended to stocking the newly bought foodstuffs in the larder.

  


"Shut up you old fool," Calcifer told him. "You'd be nothing great without me here."

  


"Sometimes," Howl said long sufferingly. "I wonder what on earth did I ever do to deserve all this."

  


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Sophie insisted that Kate should stay the night with them. She was so determined to make Kate feel welcome, she actually decided to host a dinner for her. Kate kept telling her in an embarrassed sort of way she needn't make such a big fuss about her, but it was in vain. Once Sophie set her mind down to something, it was very difficult to do anything to change that. 

  


"Yes, some ham would be good," Sophie said thoughtfully as she stared at the larder. "Drat it, we're out of fruits though."

  


"You needn't go through all this trouble," Kate began once more, in an attempt to convince Sophie that she needn't go through such hassle. It was useless of course. She waved her aside dismissively.

  


"It's alright, Kate. But then again...some cherries would be good. Could you be a dear and go ask Howl to conjure up some candles as well. I'm confoundedly busy here."

  


Kate had no other choice, but to do as Sophie asked. It was it almost possible to reason with her. She also didn't know why did Sophie act the way she did towards the Wizard. They seemed almost like children, bickering about almost everything. She kept accusing the Wizard of slithering out, and he insisted that she was a busybody. What were thay thinking when they decided to get married? Kate couldn't help wondering.

  


The Wizard Howl was just lounging on the steps that lead upstairs, in full sight. She wondered why couldn't Sophie just asked him about the candles. The wizard obligingly conjured them from a few splinters of wood.

  


"Tell Mrs. Nose over there these will do," he told her as he handed her the newly formed candles. Kate noticed that he had a somewhat pensive look on his face as he glanced over at Sophie. 

  


"Are you alright?" she asked.

  


The Wizard Howl shrugged. "That's one of the things I like about her," he said wistfully looking at Sophie. "It's amazing, that I manage to find her captivating, with all I have to put up with."

  


Kate wasn't sure if she heard correctly. "What?"

  


"Sometimes I do wish, that we'd stop all this quibbling nonsense. It can get very nerve grating," he said, as if he was answering her earlier question. "But when I think about it sometime later, I wouldn't change anything for all the treasures of Ingary."

  


"I'm glad you think that way," Kate said hesitatingly. Howl suddenly seemed to have been jolted out of something, and the wistful look had suddenly snapped out of his eyes. 

  


"What did I just tell you?" he asked. "I have a faint recollection of telling you something rather queer just now." 

  


"Just about the candles," Kate lied. It was too embarrassing to tell him that she had been hearing his true opinion of his wife. There was something queer going on about the Wizard Howl, but then again, wizards were a queer lot in general. Kate went off to give the candles to Sophie and scurried away quickly when she was asked to look for Morgan and tell him to get a few bottles of wine.

  


Morgan showed her that the door knob was actually a charm to help them get to places quicker. The blobs of color meant different places in Ingary. Blue led to Porthaven, where else green would lead to a town called Market Chipping. Black, Morgan told her would lead to a totally different world altogether. They were going to Kingsbury, so the doorknob pointed red. 

  


Kingsbury, Kate concluded was marvelous. She had never been out of Periwinkle hood to see what the world really looked like. Kingsbury had huge houses with gold-tipped towers and courtyards that made them look like palaces. Gilt carriages sped past, drawn by magnificent horses.

  


"Stop gawping can you," Morgan asked in an irritated, but yet amused voice. "People will think you're a country bumpkin and all with the amount of staring you're currently doing." That annoyed Kate, but she didn't say anything. The wine was bought in due time, and after that, Morgan suggested that they walk around town, in order to let Kate have her first good look at Kingsbury.

  


A commotion suddenly took place on the street. Morgan and Kate turned to see what the commotion was all about. To her astonishment, it was Morton. Morton and his wagon, looking as if he was going to burst out of his waistcoat, and his moustaches bristling as he went. He had ran his wagon over a puddle, and the water had splashed over a woman holding a parasol who shouted a line of rather rude words to the retreating wagon in return. Morton had not taken the slightest bit of notice, which was fortunate, because if he did, he would have spotted Kate.

  


"What is he doing here?" she asked aloud. "Didn't we just leave him at Porthaven last night? How did he get here?"

  


"It's a whole four days journey here from Porthaven, if he went by wagon," Morgan said. "He must have used magic. A speed spell would shorten his time coming."

  


"But, isn't he a hedge wizard?"

  


"Uncanny. I wonder..." Morgan trailed off, looking even more strong minded than ever. Kate gave him a side glance. _That sounded ominous_, she thought as they made their way towards what seemed like an unused stable.. 


	5. In which Kate has tea with the Countess ...

Disclaimer: Other than the new characters and the plot, I don't own anything. 

  
  


A/n: Just wanted to apologize for the long wait. You see, I'm in the middle of my senior year exams (read: really important exam) and had to go cram for things like trig, chemistry and the like. I'll be sitting for my physics and chemistry paper next week (in case you're interested) :/ . I also desperately need feedback and ideas on how you guys think this story should go, since writers' block was what stopped me from sitting down at the computer and typing this out nicely. But then again, I never had a proper plot for this story, just a few random, vague ideas, so feedback from you people is really important! And I like reading my reviews! They give me this warm fuzzy feeling and makes me go around the rest of the day with a goofy grin on my face.

  


Excuse my rambling. I'm typing this at 1 in the morning. Would like to thank Black Jaguar12, Caudex [sorry about the whole forwarded mail thing. Trust me, you'll be seeing A LOT more of Howl and Sophie's family!], Calcifersgrl [Howl has his reasons for turning into a donkey which will be made known in future chapters], ChocolateEclar [I love your Yu-Gi-Oh fic!] and Kaion Vin.

  


Now on to chapter 5!

  


Chapter 5: In which Kate has tea with the Countess of Catterack in Kingsbury.

  
  


Kate was set up later in Shelby's room. It took quite a lot of tossing and turning before she managed to get accustomed to the bed. It took even longer still for her to sort her thoughts out. Now that she knew there was a strange witch out to get her for her own dark purposes which Kate rather did not think about, Morton Maxwell was looking for her and the look on Morgan's face when he said how uncanny it was for a hedge wizard like Morton to have enough magic to actually cast a speed spell. It made her feel uneasy. The way Morgan and Meryl were whispering mysteriously to each other during dinner did not help as well.

  


Kate smiled as she thought of Morgan's family. It seemed that the triplets adored her and as mischievous as they were, Kate loved them as well. However, the Wizard Howl and Sophie kept bickering and that was a source of discomfort to Kate, as she had no idea how to speak to them as they kept contradicting everything the other said. It seemed that squabbling was the way the Wizard showed how he cared for Sophie. That was a very peculiar way of doing so, Kate thought, but it wasn't her business, as there was a lot of squabbling going on between Morgan and Shelby as well.

  


Thoughts on her sisters also surfaced frequently. She hoped that Elsie did not so something stupid like put a frog in her aunt's and uncle's bed or Sally burn the bread on purpose in order to spite them. The two younger Baker sisters were capable of doing that.

  


She tossed over, and pulled her pillow over her head. As much as she liked them, she didn't want to impose on Morgan's family by staying on too long. Somehow, she had to go back to Periwinkle Hood. The more she thought of the idea, the more relaxed she felt. Kate made up her mind to go to either the Wizard Howl or Morgan and ask them who was she to get home.

  


With that thought she managed to doze off, despite a faint song about saucepans that drifted from the fireplace . . . 

  


A hearty creak that came from above her jolted her awake. It was followed by two more creaks. Kate sat up warily and looked above her. Creak. Creak. Someone was coming down the stairs. By the sound of the weighty tread, it was either the Wizard or Morgan who was coming down. The creaks were replaced by soft footsteps. Shelby stirred a little but other than that, was very much fast asleep.

  


Getting up, Kate tiptoed to the door and poked her head around it. The dark, velvety purple sky suggested that it was just before dawn. Morgan was standing in front of the fireplace, conversing softly with Calcifer. He was dressed in a dull grey which made him look a little like a beggar. That roused Kate's suspicion. She slipped out of the room and Morgan whirled around, looking slightly guilty. Calcifer leaned out of the grate and plunged back in again after taking a look at Kate. There was a muffled noise coming from the grate but she ignored it and looked at Morgan.

  


"Where are you going?" she asked bluntly.

  


Morgan gave her a guilty look. "Out," he replied. His previously guilty look melted away into a smirk. "You should be in bed. Go back to sleep, and wake up later."

  


Kate folded her arms and cast Morgan a severe look. "You're dressed like a vagabond and you're sneaking around your own house. Out with the truth. What are you up to?"

  


The smirk faded. "I'm going to Kingsbury. There's something I want to find out. You said that Morton was just a hedge wizard. Yet, he managed to get to Kingsbury in a short time. I have a hunch that Morton Maxwell has traded something for the ability for him to do magic."

  


The ability for him to do magic. The thought of Morton being able to conjure clouds and lightning failed to make an impression on Kate. "So what call do you have to be going out dressed like that?"

  


Morgan mock-bowed elaborately. "Disguise of course. Have you ever noticed that beggars and vagrants are always the first ones to get the wind of anything?"

  


"I've never noticed," she replied primly. "Since beggars aren't very respectable people."

  


He shrugged and gave Kate his lopsided grin. "Point taken," he replied. With that he strode to the door and turned it red down. "Got to go. Meryl's waiting for me already."

  


"Wait!" Kate said. "I'm coming with you." She felt as if Morton was partly her responsibility. Her conscience wouldn't let her be if Morton turned out to be a hugely evil wizard who went around terrorizing the folk of Ingary with hail and sleet. "What?" she demanded, as Morgan seemed to be suppressing a snort of laughter. "What's so funny?"

  


The smirk reappeared on Morgan's face. "Not in Shelby's nightgown you are."

  


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Meryl Suliman was obviously on of those sort of girls who looked lovely even though it was before the crack of dawn. She was sitting by the fountain in the market square looking very fresh and well rested. Kate rather envied her for that. She was dressed in a trim blue dress that made her eyes stand out like sparkling pools. Kate had on a frumpish grey dress (Morgan said it used to be Sophie's best dress, but she had trouble believing that. What on earth would Sophie be doing in an old woman's dress?) felt like hiding under a stone at the sight of Meryl. If she hadn't reminded herself that she was supposed to be under a disguise, she would have stayed at the castle.

  


"We can't have one of the Royal Wizard's daughter running around looking like a servant girl," Morgan had told her. "Almost everyone in Kingsbury knows Meryl."

  


"Goodness gracious, Morgan, what have you done to Kate?" Meryl demanded as she took in the sight of Kate in the grey dress. Kate wanted to crawl under a stone even more.

  


"She can't go around the alleys looking like somebody important could she?" Morgan retorted.

  


"No, you're handing her over to me," Meryl countered. "A girl running around the alleys and gutters! Where has all your sense gone too? No, don't quibble. Kate's coming with me and that's final."

  


Morgan opened his mouth to argue, but evidently Meryl was even more strong minded that he was and in a few minutes, had left the two girls muttering things about Meryl.

  


"We're going to visit the Countess of Catterack later," Meryl informed Kate, as they made their way toward a set of grandly looking houses. "No one knows better gossip than the Countess of Catterack. And," she broke off as she gave a critical look at Kate's dress. "We'll have to get you dressed properly. Nothing a visit to the dressmaker and the milliner wouldn't fix."

  


"All at this time of the morning?" Kate asked, feeling suddenly light headed.

  


A cheeky smile suddenly broke out on Meryl's face. "I am of course, a Wizard's daughter," she said. "Come on, we're going to _shop_!"

  


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Never in her whole life had Kate had such a morning. It began with her visit to Meryl's home. Camelot (as the Wizard Suliman had named it) was the most eye-catching home in the town. The golden domes glowed, the flower gardens bloomed brighter, even the carriage wheels shone! Meryl had summoned a liveried butler and wouldn't budge an inch until Kate had eaten enough bacon, scones and bread to please her.

  


"You'll be needing it for later, to where we're going," she remarked dryly.

  


Next, was the even more harrowing trip to the dressmaker and the milliner. "Everyone in Kingsbury comes here for clothes," Meryl told her as almost half a dozen tailors took her measurements and stuck pins here and there on her. Kate was introduced to everyone as Meryl's Strangian friend, which had popped over into Ingary for a visit. The shop owners whispered that she was Royalty and that made Kate uncomfortable. No matter how many time she told Meryl that she was just a commoner, the Royal Wizard's only daughter was unfazed. Kate gave up for the time being, and tried to enjoy the shopping. It wasn't too hard, as Kate finally managed to get caught into the spirit of admiring clothes, trying shoes and choosing hats from a myriad of wildly colorful objects on an enchanted spinning rod. She felt almost like a princess.

  


The result, as Meryl said much later, was very satisfying. Kate was decked out in a honey-colored dress and matching hat. The Royal Wizard's wife, Lettie Suliman had put an enchantment on Kate's hair to make it pile on top of her head in the latest fashion without any hairpins with a few chestnut tendrils curling down becomingly. The only drawback was, the fashionable high shoes she wore were causing her to wobble precariously as she walked.

  


Meryl felt bound to explain to Kate about everything. "You see, you'll make a better impression on the people here if you're finely dressed." She sighed. "People here are like that. You have to look fashionable in order to mingle in."

  


Kate thought that wasn't very sensible of the Kingsbury masses as she hobbled out of the carriage perilously balancing on her high shoes.

  


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The Countess of Catterack was a tall thin woman who would have looked close to Sophie's age, if it wasn't for her dazzling array of ornaments that hung on her. She had on a resplendent salmon pink gown and masses of gold chains and brooches hung on her. Her queer hairstyle made Kate start. It looked as if she had wound the mass of mouse brown hair around an arrangement of pokers. Instead of backing out of the door and back into the carriage as she was tempted to do, she smiled politely and extended her hand graciously the way Meryl had told her to when she was introduced.

  


"You came in at exactly the right time," she said, as they were led into the parlor. "Guess who called in on me earlier? Why, it's no other than Miss Lavinia Hedgerow herself. Meryl dear, you know Miss Hedgerow don't you?"

  


Miss Lavinia Hedgerow was a very distinguished looking lady in a satin purple dress which brought out her violet eyes. Her sun streaked, blonde hair was done up more elaborately than the Countess's own queer hairdo, but was made to look elegant at the same time. She was in the act of raising her teacup when the trio entered the parlor. Kate realized that Miss Hedgerow was obviously a Somebody.

  


"Meryl and Miss Baker, this is Miss Hedgerow. Miss Hedgerow, this is Meryl Suliman and Kate Baker."

  


Lavinia Hedgerow's calm purple eyes regarded them. "I'm very pleased to make your acquaintance Miss Baker," she said. She looked at Meryl. "I've heard a lot of you Miss Suliman," she said with a smile. "I'm glad to meet you at last."

  


"And I," Meryl began, but was interrupted by the Countess. "Well now, don't we all make a pretty little party," she gushed.

  


Meryl crossed her legs gracefully. "So, has anyone heard anything new lately?" she asked sociably. The Countess's eyes gleamed eagerly. Kate had the impression that the Countess could very well be the Town Gossip of Kingsbury.

  


"Now that you mentioned it, my dear Meryl, I have heard quite a few pieces of gossip that might interest you. That is," she turned to Kate. "You don't mind just listening to a little bit of Ingary chitchat do you?" she asked Kate.

  


Gossip never interested Kate, but she was hoping to get any news of Morton. "Not at all," she said in what she hoped was a gracious manner. The Countess beamed benevolently and began to speak about whose servant did what, and how the Duchess of Dane broke her best gold plate. 'Simply _trod _on it my dears, and it broke with a huge crack just like that!'

  


Kate also found out that the King of Ingary had just gotten a new coach, Prince Justin and Princess Beatrice went hunting for game together, _hunting_, can you imagine! A Princess shouldn't be doing such things! It made her wonder if all Strangian Royalty were like that.

  


Kate hurried to assure they were not, although she hadn't got the slightest idea on what the Royal Family of Strangia did.

  


The countess of Catterack announced that the Zanzib princess, Flower-in-the-Night who was one of the Ambassadors Extraordinary for The Realm of Ingary, was expecting a fourth child, and Abdullah himself was over his head with joy.

  


"Yes," Meryl swooped in when the Countess stopped to take a breather. "Have you met any newcomers lately?"

  


"Not really," the Countess admitted. "If anyone new comes here, I'll be the first to know about it."

  


_I'm sure_, Kate thought sourly.

  


Miss Hedgerow who had been listening quietly and sipping tea, put her teacup down with a gentle clatter. "Actually, I have to confess that was my real reason for coming here Jane," she began. "I was having hopes of you knowing a certain person."

  


The Countess of Catterack leaned forward eagerly. Kate knew she prided herself on knowing anything and everything that went on in Ingary. "Who is it? Do tell me. Maybe I'll know something."

  


"It's really queer," Miss Hedgerow said. "Maybe I'll tell you everything from the beginning. Yesterday, there was this man, who stopped by at my home and asked if I needed a coachman."

  


"Yes?" the Countess asked eagerly.

  


"He was such a man as well. Stout, not too, yong, mind you, and all around too well mannered to be true, if you know what I mean."

  


"So what did you do?" Meryl asked.

  


"Well, I told him, honestly speaking, I had no need for a coachman, but he insisted I should hire him. To my surprise, he said that he had some skill in magic and specialized in carriage magic in particular. That caught me by surprise. Later, he cast a spell on my coach, and told me that he would call in later today and inquire if the spell was to my liking.

  


Kate shot Meryl a meaning glance. Meryl nodded slightly. "So what spell was it?" she asked.

  


"He said it would make my horses tire less easily and go faster. He told me he left Porthaven a night ago and arrived in Kingsbury yesterday morning. And speaking of coaches, I'll be sending my coach over to your place later Miss Suliman, for one of your father's apprentices to have a look at it and let me know if it's a reliable spell or not. That is, if they aren't too busy."

  


"It'll be fine," Meryl said hurriedly. Kate leaned forward. "That fellow you were talking about Miss Hedgerow, did he come in an old carriage with a brown horse?"

  


Miss Hedgerow's violet eyes widened. "That's true. Do you know the fellow? He gave his name as Maxwell. Morton Maxwell.

  


@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#

A/n 2: not sure if you all noticed this, but the Countess of Catterack is Jane Farrier. Just needed to put one of the original HMC characters in. ;) Needed someone as the town gossip!

  


A/n 3: bear with this chapter please! The adventures will start to pick up on the next chapters!

  


A/n 4: of course, don't forget to review!


	6. In Which Kate is Involved in a Sandstorm

Disclaimer: You know the drill, unfamiliar characters and the plot belongs to me, the rest goes to DWJ...

A/n: An update! Sorry to keep you guys waiting, so here it is! Special thanks go out to **ChocolateEclar, Calcifersgrl, BlackRoseGirl** and **Caudex!** You guys rock!

On with the Fic!

Chapter 6: In which Kate is involved in a Sandstorm.

"We have heard of Morton Maxwell," Meryl said, a touch grimly. "He had run into quite a lot of trouble before. I have a feeling the spell he's trying to sell you will wear off in a couple of days time. I'm willing to wager that because he tried that trick at Market Chipping one too many times."

"My dear," the Countess of Catterack said eagerly. "Is he a _criminal_? If he is, that wicked man ought to be _locked _up! Nothing a week in the stocks wouldn't cure." The curious gleam in the Countess's eye returned again. "Of course, nothing works better than the jailhouse, but in this case, I think he ought to be properly punished. More of like publicly _humiliated _to make sure he doesn't do it again–"

"I'm sure the police will make sure he receives adequate punishment," Miss Hedgerow interrupted gently. "I'm just glad that I know what sort of repute Mr. Maxwell has. I definitely won't be doing any business with him. "

"Could you tell us where we could find him?" Kate asked.

"He said that–" Miss Hedgerow began, only to be cut off by a loud cracking noise that came from outside. It was followed by a colossal crash of what sounded like a pile of bricks and metal crashing on the ground.

They rushed to the window to see what was going on. Kate saw a whooshing pillar of sand swirl around the streets of Kingsbury, hissing and leaving sand everywhere as it went.

"My dears," the Countess of Catterack exclaimed. "Look at that house there!"

It was a grand mansion, with magnificent arches and towers. Unfortunately, the sandstorm had smashed half of it down. The streets were littered in rubble and dust. People ran aimlessly, screaming and in general trying their best to get away from the sandstorm. The Countess of Cattrack seemed delighted at the mess.

"That was the Earl of Darlington's mansion," she said excitedly above the noise. "Really, and he was so proud of the new renovations done on it. I thought it was rather _vulgar_."

"Jane, don't worry about the Earl's house," Miss Hedgerow said hastily, as she grabbed the Countess's arm and headed for the door. "We ought to make a run for it. You girls had better run west," she called at Kate and Meryl. "It's heading in the opposite direction!" With that, she firmly hauled the staring Countess away from the doorpost. Surprisingly, the Countess tore her eyes away from the rubble and ran out in the streets with Miss Hedgerow.

"What happened?" Kate shouted above the din. Wind hurtled around her violently and blew her hat off. The wind from the sandstorm smelt like sea air, only with a menacing strain to it.

"It's a form of powerful enchantment!" Meryl returned, her hat gone too. "It's too strong for me to do anything about it!"

"Then let's make a run for it," Kate bawled. "Follow Miss Hedgerow and the Countess!"

For the first time, Meryl looked flustered. "It's heading toward the East Row! That's where most of the beggars are! We've got to find Morgan!" she shouted back. "He's still out there!"

Kate had completely forgotten Morgan. She gathered up her skirts and hurtled out into the streets after Meryl. It seemed silly to be running in the opposite direction when the occupants of Kingsbury hurtled the other way. She had the feeling of running into a lion's mouth. The wind in the east row got stronger and stronger. Kate felt half of her hair coming out from it's hairdo and her new dress billowed frantically in the wind. Sand got caught in her abominably high shoes and got in the way. To take her mind of the situation, she thought how stupid they looked; a pair of young ladies, in sandy, disheveled dresses and half their hair flapping around their faces charge through town with an enchanted sandstorm right behind them.

The idea was so ridiculous, she almost forgot that her feet were hurting.

Meryl, on the other hand, seemed to be grabbing at handfuls of the wind and muttering in a strange language at the same time. She looked back at Kate hurriedly. "You'll have to hang on for a while. I'm going to use this wind to screen us from the sandstorm!" With that, she raised her hand and called out a strange word.

A sheet of rushing wind seemed to cover them, and then gradually formed a sort of alcove above them. The wind almost sounded solid. Sand poured and splashed them with gritty slushing noises. The sandstorm was almost directly above them.

"We're not entirely safe," Meryl informed her. "The spell won't last for long, we've got to find that infernal cousin of mine and get out of here quick."

"What is thing doing here?" Kate wondered aloud (rather breathlessly). "Who cast it?"

"I don't know," she puffed. "That sandstorm is cutting off my spell, I can't get Morgan!"

"Can't you do anything else?" Kate asked.

Meryl shook her head despairingly. "Nothing. The only thing left to do is to get past that thing."

The two of them dashed into a narrow alley. The plan was to hide there till the sandstorm had passed them and run away. Unfortunately things didn't seem to work out as planned. The sandstorm seemed to have a mind of its own for as soon as the two of them staggered into the alley, it tottered in after them, sand still furiously racing all around.

"Blast it! That thing knows," Meryl shouted as they made another turn in the back lanes of the East Row. "And I just can't seem to shake it off our trail."

"You're a witch," Kate shouted back, tired and winded from racing around Kingsbury in a pair of ridiculously high shoes to think sensibly. "Think of something that will stop that wind!"

"Like what?" Meryl demanded. She was turning red in the face. "I can't hold up the wind shield for long at the rate we're going!"

"I don't know! Perhaps a wall to stop the sand from flowing in! Or a box!"

Meryl said something unladylike as they swerved left. "I can't do it alone!" she yelled. "To block a sandstorm this big with a wall–"

With a whoosh, the sand spilled down on them. Kate heard Meryl shouting something that sounded like "Clamming Bells!" before the sandstorm crashed down. Kate scrunched her eyes tight, sure that she had met her end in a spell sandstorm. It would only be moments before sand drowned and suffocated her. Meryl would be alright though. She remembered that someone told her that witches couldn't drown and Meryl was a witch. However she didn't know if drowning in sand counted.

When nothing happened, she tentatively opened one eye. There wasn't any sand around them. They were sitting on a cloud actually. The whole situation was so ridiculous, Kate was sure she had died. She pinched herself to make sure. The pinch hurt, so, she wasn't dead.

Meryl was standing up on the cloud, a little unsteady on her feet, but otherwise alright. "Dad?" she called. "Are you there?"

"Two steps left from you," a deep voice called out.

"You'll have to try and find Morgan as well," Meryl said as took two careful steps and beckoned to Kate.

"Morgan's got here before you," the deep voice continued. "I've just opened a portal there. Can you and your friend step through?"

With careful precision Meryl pushed at nothingness, and for a moment Kate felt as if she had gone mad, for right in the middle of the air was a shimmering doorway that looked as if it opened to a room that was for some reason had mirrors hung on the walls. Before she could blink and take a proper look, Meryl grabbed her hand in an expert fashion and towed her through.

She was standing in the middle of a pentacle. The room as round and there were many mirrors hung on its walls. A funny rod-like contraption surrounded the pentacle. There were two other people in the room as well, Morgan who was looking worried and sheepish at the same time and a man with a craggy face and faded ginger hair, whom Kate concluded must be the other Royal wizard.

"That thing," the Royal wizard said in a deep baritone voice. "What was it?"

"Whatever it was, it was strong," Meryl said, as she gave her father a hug. "And you," she said, whirling upon Morgan. "Where were you? Did you know that Kate and I nearly got killed just to find you?"

"I tried to let you know," Morgan said irritably as he summoned a pair of stools for the girls to sit on. "But that vile thing kept cutting off my spells."

"That sandstorm," Wizard Suliman wondered. "Why did it come after the both of you? It seemed to instinctively follow you."

"I don't know," Kate said as she sank into an embroidered green stool. "Was that storm summoned by a powerful wizard?"

The Wizard Suliman furrowed his brow. "The strangest thing was, the spell had a whiff of familiarity about it. I seem to know it from somewhere, but I just can't recall."

"You'll have to remember fast," Meryl said, as she dusted her dress from the sand. "A rouge sandstorm let loose in Kingsbury is bound to be noticed."

"Where is the sandstorm now?" Morgan asked.

Wizard Suliman gestured absently to the mirrors. "I haven't got the slightest clue. One moment it's hurtling around in Kingsbury, and the next it's gone. The King will be bound to summon me or Howl any moment now and demand for an explanation." He snapped his fingers twice, and a uniformed butler appeared at the door, with a tray of teacups and a pot in hand.

"How did you manage to get out of the storm?" Kate asked, as she accepted a cup of tea from the butler.

"A dispersing spell," he admitted. "That's how I managed to get out so quick when the storm struck. The first thing I did was to get her and ask for Uncle Ben to trace you."

"A dispersing spell," Meryl repeated thoughtfully as she balanced her teacup on her knee. "I should have thought of that."

The Royal Wizard cleared his throat. "The lot of you owe me an explanation," he said. "What were you doing in Kingsbury for. Not only that, why is Morgan dressed in rags. Not only that," he said as he turned to Kate. "I don't believe I know the young lady, but if I'm not mistaken, you must be the Miss Baker Meryl told me about."

There was a pause. Kate felt as if she had a lot of explaining to do. "It was mostly my fault," she said. "Morgan was trying to find out about Morton Maxwell, and I went with Meryl to see the Countess of Catterack also to do a bit of snooping."

The wizard's brow creased. "Morton Maxwell, eh. What 's he doing here? The last I heard, he got hooted out of Market Chipping."

"Well, he's back now, and somehow, he's got magic."

Ben Suliman looked grave. "Howl came over the other day saying that there was something not quite right with the magic. He said he could feel an imbalance of some sort. To quote him, he said; quite a lot of the magic had petered out."

"But it would take quite a lot to disrupt the balance wouldn't it?" Morgan asked, and at the same time Meryl wondered "What caused it?"

Kate felt lost. "Er, I don't mean to interrupt, but what is this balance of magic?" she asked.

"I keep forgetting that you're not a witch," Morgan said in a way of apologizing. "Not many people know this, but in Ingary, magic is something like a storehouse. When we wizards do magic, we take a little out of this storehouse. It's sort of like calling out a little bit at a time."

"We replace it of course," Meryl said absently. "Each time we take magic out we replace it with the spells we use. It's an automatic process."

"Though there are many wizards and witches here, no one has managed to draw out a lot of it at one time," Morgan continued. "However, if Uncle Ben says that the balance is disturbed, there must have been someone, a powerful witch or wizard who would be able to pull out that much magic."

"What happens when the magic's unbalanced?" Kate asked.

"Havoc," Ben Suliman said. "It means that there's less for us wizards to use." He looked a little embarrassed. "Even Royal wizards like us. It's usually an evil witch or warlock who would need such a lot of magic. They need it for silly plans like taking over Ingary or something like that. Fortunately, there hasn't been a person powerful enough to do that."

"Until now that is," Kate said. "Do you think that Morton's the one behind it? Or could it be the witch he was talking to in the Spotted Dog?"

"Most likely the latter," Morgan confirmed. "If it's her, she's managed to find a way to draw out all that magic without replacing it."

"So, in other words, she's taking out all this magic and leaving less and less for you to use against her," Kate concluded. "That way, no one would be able to challenge her."

"She's a smart one, that one is," Ben Suliman said. "Managing such a feat without getting detected at first. Reminds me of the Witch of the Waste. She was good, but not that good. After all, Howl managed to do her in."

"How much of it's left now?" Kate asked. The Wizard frowned craggily and stared above Kate's head, as if he was concentrating on something that was behind her. "Slightly less that yesterday," he said, blinking. "She's powerful alright, but she can't draw out that much at once."

"But she's been doing it for some time now, hasn't she?" Meryl asked. "A little at a time. she pulls out a bit each day, sufficient enough for her own use or gives them to Maxwell, whatever. The thing is, she's been doing it consistently to make sure no one realized until it was too late."

"I want to know how she did it," Ben Suliman said. "Managing something like that–Look!" he said interrupting himself. Something, misty white and solid at the same time, appeared in the middle of the room, where the pentacle was curling and twisting at the same time. The smoke trembled, and finally solidified for the last time to form a shape.

"Howl!" Ben Suliman exclaimed as he saw his brother-in-law appear. Howl looked worn out to the point of looking haggard. Kate could see that his green and gold suit was torn in a few places. Howl raised his hands, as if in the act of warding something off.

"Need...help..." he panted. "Sophie...can't manage...mistake to leave...her. Come quick..."

Ben Suliman hurled out of the room in a flurry of black. He yelled for Lettie out at the corridor and disappeared. Morgan and Meryl also jumped to their feet and dashed out of the house. Kate followed suite.

"Raise a wind once we're out of the house," Meryl shouted. "We'll get there faster." Morgan nodded and raised his hands and called out a string of words. Meryl did the same thing. Kate, who had no magic just crossed her fingers and prayed for a wind. It came, bursting hot and howling. The cousins grabbed Kate's wrists each and told her to run. She did. Both of them tried to explain things in disjointed sentences on the way.

"That was dad's apparition!" Morgan yelled amidst the howl of the wind. "...trouble to do so!"

"...be witch...Sophie can't handle....must...desperate...to do that..."

"....needs all magic...there..."

"I'm not magical!" Kate bawled back. However, they couldn't hear her. _Oh dear_, Kate thought. _Looks like I'm going to be stuck in the middle of a magical battle without anything to defend myself._ That was going to prove to be difficult.

###########################

They landed in front of the castle with a thump. There was something wrong. All three doors were flapping open. As they ran in, Kate promptly tripped over the doorstep and would have fallen face flat if Morgan hadn't caught her arm in time.

In the castle was a mess. There were papers with scribbled writing on them all over the place and it mixed with bits of broken spell bottles and potions all over the floor. Sand mingled with everything in perfect discord. The Wizard Howl was sitting desolately on the three legged stool, while Ben Suliman was pulling something invisible from his head. The triplets were sitting near the fireplace, bawling. Calcifer was nowhere to be seen.

"She must have put a mind spell over him," Ben Suliman said as he pulled more invisible things from Howl's head. Morgan went up, and started pulling viciously, while the girls went to soothe the triplets.

Ben Suliman gave a final tug, and Howl groaned hugely. "Damn her to hell," he moaned. "I'll kill her next time. Sophie...Sophie..."

"What happened!"Morgan shouted. Kate never saw him look angrier. His face was white and his eyes seeped ready to spit green fire. "Where's mum...and Shelby?"

"She took Calcifer..." Howl said thickly. "Wasn't strong enough. She used him against me too."

"Howl Jenkins! Get a hold of yourself!" Ben said, taking hold of Howl and shaking him hard. "Tell us what happened properly. What happened to them?"

Howl drew a shuddering breath. He looked as pale as Morgan. There were wrinkles around his eyes. "She came...and," he drew another breath. "She wanted Calcifer. Said he was powerful enough. Shelby's in Market Chipping. I cast a protection spell on her before anything happened." he stopped and started to shake. "But Sophie..."

"What happened to mum?" Morgan shouted.

Howl drooped dejectedly. "She got Sophie. Wanted her for her spell. I...wasn't strong enough... to protect her..."

###########################

A/n1: I got the idea of the 'balance of magic' from the Merlin Conspiracy. ()v Just got it not too long ago. Review please! It's crucial for my happiness!

A/n2: And unfortunately, there's something for Lellers89. I'd like to point out to you that I'm NOT AN IDIOT! If you'd been reading DWJ fanfics so far, you'd realize that the Diana Wynne Jones section had only been up for about less than half a year. I wrote this story at the beginning of last year. The Dalemark Quartet section was the only place where people could post up HMC fics. Since there was no where else to post them, I put them in the Dalemark section, although I damn well knew that the Dalemark Quartet consisted of. You have ABSOLUTELY no right to say that I'm an idiot for posting it there, when there was nowhere else to put it IN THE FIRST PLACE. Get your facts right before you go around calling people names. If you have a problem with my writing, just say so. Don't waste your time sending me reviews saying that I screwed up by posting it in the wrong section, because there are other writers who post their stories in the Dalemark section. If you can show me a way to re-post my story in the DWJ section without losing all my reviews, feel free to let me know. Other than that, just bugger off because as far as I know, you're the idiot for not knowing that the DWJ section was new.

> Disclaimer: You know the drill, unfamiliar characters and the plot belongs to me, the rest goes to DWJ...
> 
> A/n: An update! Sorry to keep you guys waiting, so here it is! Special thanks go out to ChocolateEclar, Calcifersgrl, BlackRoseGirl and Caudex! You guys rock!
> 
> On with the Fic!
> 
> Chapter 6: In which Kate is involved in a Sandstorm.
> 
> "We have heard of Morton Maxwell," Meryl said, a touch grimly. "He had run into quite a lot of trouble before. I have a feeling the spell he's trying to sell you will wear off in a couple of days time. I'm willing to wager that because he tried that trick at Market Chipping one too many times."
> 
> "My dear," the Countess of Catterack said eagerly. "Is he a _criminal_? If he is, that wicked man ought to be _locked _up! Nothing a week in the stocks wouldn't cure." The curious gleam in the Countess's eye returned again. "Of course, nothing works better than the jailhouse, but in this case, I think he ought to be properly punished. More of like publicly _humiliated _to make sure he doesn't do it again–"
> 
> "I'm sure the police will make sure he receives adequate punishment," Miss Hedgerow interrupted gently. "I'm just glad that I know what sort of repute Mr. Maxwell has. I definitely won't be doing any business with him. "
> 
> "Could you tell us where we could find him?" Kate asked.
> 
> "He said that–" Miss Hedgerow began, only to be cut off by a loud cracking noise that came from outside. It was followed by a colossal crash of what sounded like a pile of bricks and metal crashing on the ground.
> 
> They rushed to the window to see what was going on. Kate saw a whooshing pillar of sand swirl around the streets of Kingsbury, hissing and leaving sand everywhere as it went.
> 
> "My dears," the Countess of Catterack exclaimed. "Look at that house there!"
> 
> It was a grand mansion, with magnificent arches and towers. Unfortunately, the sandstorm had smashed half of it down. The streets were littered in rubble and dust. People ran aimlessly, screaming and in general trying their best to get away from the sandstorm. The Countess of Cattrack seemed delighted at the mess.
> 
> "That was the Earl of Darlington's mansion," she said excitedly above the noise. "Really, and he was so proud of the new renovations done on it. I thought it was rather _vulgar_."
> 
> "Jane, don't worry about the Earl's house," Miss Hedgerow said hastily, as she grabbed the Countess's arm and headed for the door. "We ought to make a run for it. You girls had better run west," she called at Kate and Meryl. "It's heading in the opposite direction!" With that, she firmly hauled the staring Countess away from the doorpost. Surprisingly, the Countess tore her eyes away from the rubble and ran out in the streets with Miss Hedgerow.
> 
> "What happened?" Kate shouted above the din. Wind hurtled around her violently and blew her hat off. The wind from the sandstorm smelt like sea air, only with a menacing strain to it.
> 
> "It's a form of powerful enchantment!" Meryl returned, her hat gone too. "It's too strong for me to do anything about it!"
> 
> "Then let's make a run for it," Kate bawled. "Follow Miss Hedgerow and the Countess!"
> 
> For the first time, Meryl looked flustered. "It's heading toward the East Row! That's where most of the beggars are! We've got to find Morgan!" she shouted back. "He's still out there!"
> 
> Kate had completely forgotten Morgan. She gathered up her skirts and hurtled out into the streets after Meryl. It seemed silly to be running in the opposite direction when the occupants of Kingsbury hurtled the other way. She had the feeling of running into a lion's mouth. The wind in the east row got stronger and stronger. Kate felt half of her hair coming out from it's hairdo and her new dress billowed frantically in the wind. Sand got caught in her abominably high shoes and got in the way. To take her mind of the situation, she thought how stupid they looked; a pair of young ladies, in sandy, disheveled dresses and half their hair flapping around their faces charge through town with an enchanted sandstorm right behind them.
> 
> The idea was so ridiculous, she almost forgot that her feet were hurting.
> 
> Meryl, on the other hand, seemed to be grabbing at handfuls of the wind and muttering in a strange language at the same time. She looked back at Kate hurriedly. "You'll have to hang on for a while. I'm going to use this wind to screen us from the sandstorm!" With that, she raised her hand and called out a strange word.
> 
> A sheet of rushing wind seemed to cover them, and then gradually formed a sort of alcove above them. The wind almost sounded solid. Sand poured and splashed them with gritty slushing noises. The sandstorm was almost directly above them.
> 
> "We're not entirely safe," Meryl informed her. "The spell won't last for long, we've got to find that infernal cousin of mine and get out of here quick."
> 
> "What is thing doing here?" Kate wondered aloud (rather breathlessly). "Who cast it?"
> 
> "I don't know," she puffed. "That sandstorm is cutting off my spell, I can't get Morgan!"
> 
> "Can't you do anything else?" Kate asked.
> 
> Meryl shook her head despairingly. "Nothing. The only thing left to do is to get past that thing."
> 
> The two of them dashed into a narrow alley. The plan was to hide there till the sandstorm had passed them and run away. Unfortunately things didn't seem to work out as planned. The sandstorm seemed to have a mind of its own for as soon as the two of them staggered into the alley, it tottered in after them, sand still furiously racing all around.
> 
> "Blast it! That thing knows," Meryl shouted as they made another turn in the back lanes of the East Row. "And I just can't seem to shake it off our trail."
> 
> "You're a witch," Kate shouted back, tired and winded from racing around Kingsbury in a pair of ridiculously high shoes to think sensibly. "Think of something that will stop that wind!"
> 
> "Like what?" Meryl demanded. She was turning red in the face. "I can't hold up the wind shield for long at the rate we're going!"
> 
> "I don't know! Perhaps a wall to stop the sand from flowing in! Or a box!"
> 
> Meryl said something unladylike as they swerved left. "I can't do it alone!" she yelled. "To block a sandstorm this big with a wall–"
> 
> With a whoosh, the sand spilled down on them. Kate heard Meryl shouting something that sounded like "Clamming Bells!" before the sandstorm crashed down. Kate scrunched her eyes tight, sure that she had met her end in a spell sandstorm. It would only be moments before sand drowned and suffocated her. Meryl would be alright though. She remembered that someone told her that witches couldn't drown and Meryl was a witch. However she didn't know if drowning in sand counted.
> 
> When nothing happened, she tentatively opened one eye. There wasn't any sand around them. They were sitting on a cloud actually. The whole situation was so ridiculous, Kate was sure she had died. She pinched herself to make sure. The pinch hurt, so, she wasn't dead.
> 
> Meryl was standing up on the cloud, a little unsteady on her feet, but otherwise alright. "Dad?" she called. "Are you there?"
> 
> "Two steps left from you," a deep voice called out.
> 
> "You'll have to try and find Morgan as well," Meryl said as took two careful steps and beckoned to Kate.
> 
> "Morgan's got here before you," the deep voice continued. "I've just opened a portal there. Can you and your friend step through?"
> 
> With careful precision Meryl pushed at nothingness, and for a moment Kate felt as if she had gone mad, for right in the middle of the air was a shimmering doorway that looked as if it opened to a room that was for some reason had mirrors hung on the walls. Before she could blink and take a proper look, Meryl grabbed her hand in an expert fashion and towed her through.
> 
> She was standing in the middle of a pentacle. The room as round and there were many mirrors hung on its walls. A funny rod-like contraption surrounded the pentacle. There were two other people in the room as well, Morgan who was looking worried and sheepish at the same time and a man with a craggy face and faded ginger hair, whom Kate concluded must be the other Royal wizard.
> 
> "That thing," the Royal wizard said in a deep baritone voice. "What was it?"
> 
> "Whatever it was, it was strong," Meryl said, as she gave her father a hug. "And you," she said, whirling upon Morgan. "Where were you? Did you know that Kate and I nearly got killed just to find you?"
> 
> "I tried to let you know," Morgan said irritably as he summoned a pair of stools for the girls to sit on. "But that vile thing kept cutting off my spells."
> 
> "That sandstorm," Wizard Suliman wondered. "Why did it come after the both of you? It seemed to instinctively follow you."
> 
> "I don't know," Kate said as she sank into an embroidered green stool. "Was that storm summoned by a powerful wizard?"
> 
> The Wizard Suliman furrowed his brow. "The strangest thing was, the spell had a whiff of familiarity about it. I seem to know it from somewhere, but I just can't recall."
> 
> "You'll have to remember fast," Meryl said, as she dusted her dress from the sand. "A rouge sandstorm let loose in Kingsbury is bound to be noticed."
> 
> "Where is the sandstorm now?" Morgan asked.
> 
> Wizard Suliman gestured absently to the mirrors. "I haven't got the slightest clue. One moment it's hurtling around in Kingsbury, and the next it's gone. The King will be bound to summon me or Howl any moment now and demand for an explanation." He snapped his fingers twice, and a uniformed butler appeared at the door, with a tray of teacups and a pot in hand.
> 
> "How did you manage to get out of the storm?" Kate asked, as she accepted a cup of tea from the butler.
> 
> "A dispersing spell," he admitted. "That's how I managed to get out so quick when the storm struck. The first thing I did was to get her and ask for Uncle Ben to trace you."
> 
> "A dispersing spell," Meryl repeated thoughtfully as she balanced her teacup on her knee. "I should have thought of that."
> 
> The Royal Wizard cleared his throat. "The lot of you owe me an explanation," he said. "What were you doing in Kingsbury for. Not only that, why is Morgan dressed in rags. Not only that," he said as he turned to Kate. "I don't believe I know the young lady, but if I'm not mistaken, you must be the Miss Baker Meryl told me about."
> 
> There was a pause. Kate felt as if she had a lot of explaining to do. "It was mostly my fault," she said. "Morgan was trying to find out about Morton Maxwell, and I went with Meryl to see the Countess of Catterack also to do a bit of snooping."
> 
> The wizard's brow creased. "Morton Maxwell, eh. What 's he doing here? The last I heard, he got hooted out of Market Chipping."
> 
> "Well, he's back now, and somehow, he's got magic."
> 
> Ben Suliman looked grave. "Howl came over the other day saying that there was something not quite right with the magic. He said he could feel an imbalance of some sort. To quote him, he said; quite a lot of the magic had petered out."
> 
> "But it would take quite a lot to disrupt the balance wouldn't it?" Morgan asked, and at the same time Meryl wondered "What caused it?"
> 
> Kate felt lost. "Er, I don't mean to interrupt, but what is this balance of magic?" she asked.
> 
> "I keep forgetting that you're not a witch," Morgan said in a way of apologizing. "Not many people know this, but in Ingary, magic is something like a storehouse. When we wizards do magic, we take a little out of this storehouse. It's sort of like calling out a little bit at a time."
> 
> "We replace it of course," Meryl said absently. "Each time we take magic out we replace it with the spells we use. It's an automatic process."
> 
> "Though there are many wizards and witches here, no one has managed to draw out a lot of it at one time," Morgan continued. "However, if Uncle Ben says that the balance is disturbed, there must have been someone, a powerful witch or wizard who would be able to pull out that much magic."
> 
> "What happens when the magic's unbalanced?" Kate asked.
> 
> "Havoc," Ben Suliman said. "It means that there's less for us wizards to use." He looked a little embarrassed. "Even Royal wizards like us. It's usually an evil witch or warlock who would need such a lot of magic. They need it for silly plans like taking over Ingary or something like that. Fortunately, there hasn't been a person powerful enough to do that."
> 
> "Until now that is," Kate said. "Do you think that Morton's the one behind it? Or could it be the witch he was talking to in the Spotted Dog?"
> 
> "Most likely the latter," Morgan confirmed. "If it's her, she's managed to find a way to draw out all that magic without replacing it."
> 
> "So, in other words, she's taking out all this magic and leaving less and less for you to use against her," Kate concluded. "That way, no one would be able to challenge her."
> 
> "She's a smart one, that one is," Ben Suliman said. "Managing such a feat without getting detected at first. Reminds me of the Witch of the Waste. She was good, but not that good. After all, Howl managed to do her in."
> 
> "How much of it's left now?" Kate asked. The Wizard frowned craggily and stared above Kate's head, as if he was concentrating on something that was behind her. "Slightly less that yesterday," he said, blinking. "She's powerful alright, but she can't draw out that much at once."
> 
> "But she's been doing it for some time now, hasn't she?" Meryl asked. "A little at a time. she pulls out a bit each day, sufficient enough for her own use or gives them to Maxwell, whatever. The thing is, she's been doing it consistently to make sure no one realized until it was too late."
> 
> "I want to know how she did it," Ben Suliman said. "Managing something like that–Look!" he said interrupting himself. Something, misty white and solid at the same time, appeared in the middle of the room, where the pentacle was curling and twisting at the same time. The smoke trembled, and finally solidified for the last time to form a shape.
> 
> "Howl!" Ben Suliman exclaimed as he saw his brother-in-law appear. Howl looked worn out to the point of looking haggard. Kate could see that his green and gold suit was torn in a few places. Howl raised his hands, as if in the act of warding something off.
> 
> "Need...help..." he panted. "Sophie...can't manage...mistake to leave...her. Come quick..."
> 
> Ben Suliman hurled out of the room in a flurry of black. He yelled for Lettie out at the corridor and disappeared. Morgan and Meryl also jumped to their feet and dashed out of the house. Kate followed suite.
> 
> "Raise a wind once we're out of the house," Meryl shouted. "We'll get there faster." Morgan nodded and raised his hands and called out a string of words. Meryl did the same thing. Kate, who had no magic just crossed her fingers and prayed for a wind. It came, bursting hot and howling. The cousins grabbed Kate's wrists each and told her to run. She did. Both of them tried to explain things in disjointed sentences on the way.
> 
> "That was dad's apparition!" Morgan yelled amidst the howl of the wind. "...trouble to do so!"
> 
> "...be witch...Sophie can't handle....must...desperate...to do that..."
> 
> "....needs all magic...there..."
> 
> "I'm not magical!" Kate bawled back. However, they couldn't hear her. _Oh dear_, Kate thought. _Looks like I'm going to be stuck in the middle of a magical battle without anything to defend myself._ That was going to prove to be difficult.
> 
> ###########################
> 
> They landed in front of the castle with a thump. There was something wrong. All three doors were flapping open. As they ran in, Kate promptly tripped over the doorstep and would have fallen face flat if Morgan hadn't caught her arm in time.
> 
> In the castle was a mess. There were papers with scribbled writing on them all over the place and it mixed with bits of broken spell bottles and potions all over the floor. Sand mingled with everything in perfect discord. The Wizard Howl was sitting desolately on the three legged stool, while Ben Suliman was pulling something invisible from his head. The triplets were sitting near the fireplace, bawling. Calcifer was nowhere to be seen.
> 
> "She must have put a mind spell over him," Ben Suliman said as he pulled more invisible things from Howl's head. Morgan went up, and started pulling viciously, while the girls went to soothe the triplets.
> 
> Ben Suliman gave a final tug, and Howl groaned hugely. "Damn her to hell," he moaned. "I'll kill her next time. Sophie...Sophie..."
> 
> "What happened!"Morgan shouted. Kate never saw him look angrier. His face was white and his eyes seeped ready to spit green fire. "Where's mum...and Shelby?"
> 
> "She took Calcifer..." Howl said thickly. "Wasn't strong enough. She used him against me too."
> 
> "Howl Jenkins! Get a hold of yourself!" Ben said, taking hold of Howl and shaking him hard. "Tell us what happened properly. What happened to them?"
> 
> Howl drew a shuddering breath. He looked as pale as Morgan. There were wrinkles around his eyes. "She came...and," he drew another breath. "She wanted Calcifer. Said he was powerful enough. Shelby's in Market Chipping. I cast a protection spell on her before anything happened." he stopped and started to shake. "But Sophie..."
> 
> "What happened to mum?" Morgan shouted.
> 
> Howl drooped dejectedly. "She got Sophie. Wanted her for her spell. I...wasn't strong enough... to protect her..."
> 
> ###########################
> 
> A/n1: I got the idea of the 'balance of magic' from the Merlin Conspiracy. ()v Just got it not too long ago. Review please! It's crucial for my happiness!
> 
> A/n2: And unfortunately, there's something for **Lellers89**. I'd like to point out to you that I'm NOT AN IDIOT! If you'd been reading DWJ fanfics so far, you'd realize that the Diana Wynne Jones section had only been up for about less than half a year. I wrote this story at the beginning of last year. The Dalemark Quartet section was the only place where people could post up HMC fics. Since there was no where else to post them, I put them in the Dalemark section, although I damn well knew that the Dalemark Quartet consisted of. You have ABSOLUTELY no right to say that I'm an idiot for posting it there, when there was nowhere else to put it IN THE FIRST PLACE. Get your facts right before you go around calling people names. If you have a problem with my writing, just say so. Don't waste your time sending me reviews saying that I screwed up by posting it in the wrong section, because there are other writers who post their stories in the Dalemark section. If you can show me a way to re-post my story in the DWJ section without losing all my reviews, feel free to let me know. Other than that, just bugger off because as far as I know, you're the idiot for not knowing that the DWJ section was new.


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